Bottle-crating mechanism.



L. A. HAWTHORNE.

BOTTLE CRATlNG MECHANISM.

APPLICATION man MAY 7. 1911.

1343,4085 Patented 0015.16, 1917.

3 SHEETSSHEET 1- L. A. HAWTHORNE.

BOTTLE CRATING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 7. 1912.

Patented Oct. 16, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

,3? l ii.

Fir"??- WITNESS ATTORNEY L. A. HAWTHORNE.

BOTTLE CRA'HNG MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAYZ. 1911.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3- :fIMIIIM Patented Oct. 16, 1917.

sra'rss rn a snr LOU IS A. HAWTHORNE, 0F NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T0 STEEL UTILITIES INCORPORATED, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

BOTTLE-CRATING- mncrmmsm.

Patented Oct. 16, 1917.

Application filed ma 7, 1917. Serial No. 166,930.

T0 aZZ whom it may concern.

Be it known that 1, Louis A. HAWTHORNE,

a citizen of the United States, residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bottle-Crating Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a novel improvement in crating apparatus, and more particularly to a device for transferring a plurality of containers from suitable handling machinery into the crates or boxes in which they are shipped.

To this end the invention contemplates a construction wherein the containers, such for instance, as bottles, are automatically assembled and handled in suitable increments to be deposited in a waiting shippingcrate, thereby eliminating unnecessary handling, and consequently reducing the liability of breakage to a minimum.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simple and substantial apparatus which is reliable and positive in action, and economical to operate and maintain.

Viith the above and other objects in View which will more readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated and.

claimed. I

A preferred and practical embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a top planview of the apparatus, with a portion of the assembling device broken away to show more clearly the container collecting platform or table.

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view on the line 22 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 3 is an elevation of one end of the machine.

Fig. 4 is a side elevationpartly in section, showing more clearly the manner in which the containers are removed from the collecting table into the shipping crates.

Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the container collecting table and a portion of the combined container and crate assembling device 'showingthe manner in which the container propelling rakecooperates with the table to remove the containers therefrom.

Similar reference characters designate figures of the drawings.

lVhile in the drawings illustrating the embodiment of the present invention, the containers handled by the apparatus are shown as bottles, it will of course be understood that other containers such as cans, jars, packages, or the like may be readily handled with but slight alteration in minor details such as the size and shape of the various instrumentalities which come in contact with the containers, and other inconsequential modifications necessary to accommodate the peculiar type of container to be deposited in the shipping crate. Accordingly, reference will now be made to the general structural features and characteristics of the present apparatus shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein the reference letter F designates the framework of the apparatus in its entirety, and which, as shown, is preferably of a relatively heavy and substantial type to successfully with-v stand the weight of the filled containers which usually represent a considerable dead weight.

The said frame F of the apparatus preferably comprises. the opposite vertically disposed supports or standards 1 and 2, which are preferably connected by means of a flat bed portion 3, and formed at their inner lower edges with the channeled portions 4, the outer walls 5 of which constitute journal bearings for a plurality of crate supporting rollers 6. This formation of the frame, thus provides a crateway, designated generally as C, between the vertical supports or standards 1 and 2, and located beneath the bed portion 3 of the frame work, as will be clearly apparent from Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings. From these figures, it will also be observed that the rollers 6 are journaled in the walls 50f the channeled portions 4 of the supports in such a manner that their peripheries are located a sufiicient distance below the upper edges of the said walls 5, to provide for guiding the crates in their movement along the crateway, whereby they may be shifted in uniform alinement between the standards 1 and 2 beneath the bed portion 3.

One end ofthe crateway G is provided with a crate feeding section or chute. designated generally as 7, and which is preferably of upwardly curved formation, whereby crates placed thereupon will slide down onto the rollers 6, previously referred to. That is to say, one end of the crateway U communicates with an inclined feeding chute 7, whereby the weight of the empty crates thereon will exert a feeding pressure on the crates resting'upon the horizontal series of supporting rollers 6 of the crateway C. ()r in other words, crates resting on the inclined chute 7 will if not restrained gravitate down the floor of the inclined chute onto the threshold of the crateway C and propel crates on the rollers 6 into position to be engaged by the combined container and crate assembling device, as will hereinafter more fully appear.

The supporting standard 1 of the framework of the apparatus is preferably pro-' vided with suitable offset journal-bearings 8,.which accommodate therein a shaft 9 having thereon a suitable sprocket 10, engaging with an endless feed conveyor belt 11, which leads from a suitable bottle capping or labeling machine, such as usually employed in the packaging departments of large distilleries, canneries or the like. This feed conveyer belt 11 preferably forms the bottom of a container guideway 12, to a point where the guideway passes into the limits of the framework of the apparatus, at which point the bottom of the said guideway 12 is formed by a stationary bridge plate 13, preferably a part of the bed 3, and across which the bottles or other containers are propelled onto the container collecting table, designated generally as'14. As will be observed from Fig. 1 of the drawings, the said feeding conveyer 11 and the guideway 12 are disposed at right angles to the crateway C, whereby the containers fed through the guideway will be placed upon the table 14:

transversely of the path of movement of the crates supported on the roller 6.

Referring now more particularl to the container collecting table or plat 'orm 14,

it will be observed that the same is of slotted portions 17 and the right-angularly dis:

posed, and, therefore, horizontal portions 18, which constitute the floor of the supporting table. I v

The said spaced container supporting bars 16 are all of the same length and accommodate two transverse rows of containers as will be observed from Figs. 1 and 4c, and

nae-a ree This container spacing frame preferably has its lower edge mounted on a level with the upper ends of the slots between the vertical portions 17 of the bars 16, as will be seen from Fig. 4, and preferably consists of a body portion 20 including the angularly disposed vertical frame wall 21 located at the end of the collecting table it opposite the bridge plate 13, as will be seen from Fig. 1. lhe. said body portion 20 carries a plurality of forwardly projecting spacing arms 22, which extend over the collecting table 1% to a point in line with one of the side walls of the container feeding guideway 12 and a sufficient distance from the rail 15 to provide an unobstructed free-way corresponding in width to the main container guideway 12.

These spacing arms 22 provide a plurality of blind container distributing guideways at substantially right angles to the plane of the main guideway 12. That is to say, said arms 22 together with the body portion 20 of the spacing frame provide a plurality of guidethe ends thereof drop ofi of the delivery side of the supporting table and into the shipping crates positioned on the crate-supporting rollers 6.

Referring now to the means for transferring the containersgathered on the collecting table or platform 14, it will be observed that there is provided an assembler device designated in its entirety by the reference letter A, which performs the dual function of bringing the crates and containers into assembled relation. Because'of its dual function, namely, drawing containers and crates into assembled relation, this device may be v conveniently termed a combined container and crate assembling device, and as will hereinafter more fully appear, the movement of the same is controlled bythe containers which gather on the collecting table or platform 14:, and the crates on the inclined chute 7.

With special reference to this device A, it will be observed from the drawings that it is preferably in the form of an endless web or belt, and therefore, includes a flexible body element, which may consist, as

spectively engaged by the paired sprocket Wheels 27 and 28, mounted upon the transverse supporting shafts 29 and 30 journaled in the framework F and. also includes the transverse rows of container guide elements, which connect the chains 25 and 26 and are designated in their entirety by the reference 31.

These container guides 31 are preferably.

arranged in battery formation to provide a plurality of crate-size guide units U, and as will be observed from the drawings, each container guide element includes a pluralit of tubular guide sleeves 32, which are pre erably provided with an interiorly located check spring 33 for retarding the fall of the containers from the collecting platform 14 into the crate. And, furthermore, in connection with these individual container guides, it will be observed that all ofthe same in each unit are arranged in close abutting relation. That is to say, these guides are so carried by the conveyer chains 25 and 26 that the side walls of all the containers in each unit contact with each other, as more clearly shown in Fig. 4:, when the units are traversing the span between the two sprocket wheels. However, it will be observed that each guide unit U is spaced from its adjoining unit, as shown in Fig. 4 to provide a crate wall clearance space S for receiving the adjacent side walls of two adjoining crates in the crateway C to assist the latter from the threshold of the crateway into container receiving position beneath the container collecting platform 14. To facilitate the entrance of the walls of adjoining crates into the space S between the said guide units U, the outermost row of container guide sleeves 32 of each unit are cut away as indicated at 34. Thus, it will be apparent that the assembling device A performs its crate assembling function through the interlocking of the guide units U with the crates to properly guide them into receiving position at the end of the table 14.

To provide for carrying out the other function of the assembling device A with respect to the containers collected on the spaced bars 16 of the table or platfo'rmli, the said transversely disposed container guide elements 31 are provided at their inner edges with a plurality of projecting container propelling or transfer teeth .designated as 35. These teeth 35 are carried by each guide sleeve 32, and cooperate to provide a continuous container propelling or container transferring rake or comb, which is adapted to pass between all of the spaced supporting bars 16 of the collecting table to propel the bottles away from the wall 15 of the table toward and into the container spacing frame 20, whereby they "12. This circuit closer device preferably 130 will enter the blind or closed guideways formed by the arms 22, and ultimately drop from the delivery end or extremities of the supporting bars 16 into the crate cells through the guide sleeves 32 of the container guide members 31 of the assembling device.

These rake propelling teeth preferably comprise a shank portion which joins with the guide sleeve, and an enlarged head which engages the containers by passing through the spaces between the supporting bars 16, and the teeth at the end of each unit U are made wide enough to take care of the crate wall receiving space S whereby all transverse rows of teeth will be uniformly spaced apart. The purpose of the enlarged head portions of the rake teeth is to provide just sufficient clearance between each row thereof to accommodate a container, as will be observed from Fig. 4, whereby the contain- ,ers in moving across the floor of the table or platform 14 will move in perfect alinement. Furthermore, as will be observed from Figs. 1 and 4, the transversely disposed rows of rake teeth 35 cooperate to provide a continuation of the main guideway 12 to facilitate the proper guiding of the containers onto the table initially.

To effect the transfer of the containers from the collecting platform 14: into the crates, the combined container and crate assembling device A is moved intermittently or step by step, and to provide for this intermittent movement of the assembling device, a novel container controlled actuating device R is provided. In this connection, it may be noted that while any suitable source of power may be utilized for moving the assembler device A when released by the restraining device, such, for instance, as connecting either of the shafts 29 and 30 with a positive element driving, it is preferred to utilize the weight of the superposed shipping crates positioned upon the inclined feeding chute 7 to move the said assembling device, thereby effecting a great economy in power.

That is to say, when a suflicient number of crates are placed upon the inclined crate feeding chute 7 ,their weight will overcome the inertia of the assembling device and force the crates in the crateway which are engaged with the assembling deviceto propel the same when released by the restraining device.

Referring now more particularly to the novel restraining device R, it will be observed that the same essentially comprises an electro-magnet M which is electrically connected with a suitable container controlled circuit closer element 36 carried by the wall 21 of the container spacing frame 20, and located directly in the center of the path of the containers being fed onto the table or platform 1 through the guidew-ay located between the rear face of the head 39.

and the forward end of the boss 38 to push the spindle forward and hold the circuit-v closing head 37 normally out of engagement with the contact fingers 41 and 42 carried by the outer face of the wall 21.

Owing to the location of this circuit closer 36, it will be apparent that when a suilicient number of bottles have been delivered on the platform 14:, the foremost bottle will nove the spindle on which the circuit closing head 37 is carried against the tension of the spring 40 to bring said circuit closing head into electrical engagement with the contact members 41 and 42 and thereby close an electrical circuit from the source of electrical energy B to theelectro-magnet M. This electro-magnet M is provided with a solenoid 43 having an exteriorly exposed shaft 44: carrying at its upper end the de tent 45, the rear face of which is engaged by a coil spring 46' surrounding the said shaft 4%, and maintaining the detent l5 normally engaged with a ratchet disk 47 rigidly fitted to the shaft 29 on which the sprocket wheels 27 are mounted.

When the circuit is closed through the switch 36 by the foremost container of the row of containers gathered on the table 14, the electro-magnet M becomes energized to withdraw the detent 45 from engagement with the ratchet disk l7 against the tension of the spring 46, to thereby release the entire assembling device for movement under the weight of the crates positioned upon the inclined crate feeding chute 7. This movement of the entire assembling device there- I fore advances the crate along the crate-way G into position to receive the containers pushed elf of the supporting bars 16 of the platform by the rake teeth 35. That is to say, the movement of the assembling device which is caused by the temporary disengagement of the detent l5 from the ratchet l7 advances a shipping crate the distance of one row of cells, and also advances all of the containers a distance equal to substantially their own diameter plus the thickness of the walls of the crate cells, whereby they will be ultimately advanced from the rail 15 into the distributing guideways formed by the arms 22 of the spacing frame to a position beyond the supporting bars 16, where they will then drop through the guide sleeves 32 into the proper cell in a shipping crate Waiting below on the crate supporting rollers 6. i

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that containers are fed from a capping or eas es labeling machine into the present apparatus by means of the conveyer l1 and guideway 12, and onto the container collecting table or platform 14. Owing to the transverse rows of rake teeth 35, these containers will be propelled in a straightline across the side of the table 14 adjacent the rail 15, and

when the foremost container closes the circuit through the switch 36 to the restraining device it, the combined container and crate assembling device A will be unlocked to move under the weight of the shipping crates arranged on the inclined crate feedmg chute 7. As the assembling device moves, the row of bottlesadgacent the mem-' her 15 will be pushed forward on the s'upporting bars 16', so that the foremost container of the group which was immediately adjacentthe said member 15 will be moved out of contact with the head 39 of thecircuit closing device 36, to thereby deenergize the electro-magnet M. However, the movement of the assembling device A is sufficientto cause the row of rake teeth behind the bottles adjoining the rail 15 to move forward and occupy an intermediate position in the distributing guideways formed bysthe arms 22 of the spacing frame, as will be observed by the intermediate row of containers between the member 15 and member 20 in Fig. 1. p

/ After the new row of containers has been fed on the table or platform 14 adjae. cent the member 15, the restraining device R will again be operated to permit a further movement of the assembling device, whereby the containers which were previously occupying an intermediate position on the table, and approximately at the ends a of the supporting member 16, will be advanced clear to the closed ends of'the guideways 22, where they will drop from the guide sleeves 33 into their cells in the shipping crate. This operation is repeated as long as containers are fed onto the table 1, and a sufficient number of crates are maintained in the inclined crate feeding chute 7 to overcome the weight of the crates being loaded and delivered from the delivery end of the crateway C. 4

I claim:

1. A crating apparatus including a container collecting support, and an assembling device having means for directing a shipping crate to a receiving position and for transferring the containers thereto.

2. A crating apparatus including acontainer collecting support, and a device having means for simultaneously engaging and advancing containers and shipping crates into assembled relation.

3. A crating apparatus including a container collecting table and a device having container propelling and crate engaging means.

4. A crating apparatus including a container collecting table, and a device having means for simultaneously engaging containers on said table and shipping crates arranged therebeneath to move the same into assembled relation.

5. A crating apparatus including a container collecting table, a cr'ateway arranged beneath said table, and a device having means for simultaneously engaging the mates in said crateway and sweeping said containers from the table into the container.

6, A crating apparatus including a container collecting table and a combined crate and container assembling device adapted to sweep the containers collected on said table into a waiting shipping crate. I

7. A crating apparatus including a container collecting table, a crateWay arranged beneath said table, an endless combined crate and container assembling device having means for simultaneously engaging contamcrs on the table and crates in the crateway, and also having means for guiding the containers from the table into the crate.

S. A. crating apparatus including a container collecting table, a crateway arranged beneath said table, an endless combined crate and container assembling device having means for simultaneously engaging containers on the table and crates in the crateway, and also having means for guiding the containers from the table into the crates, and a bottle controlled restraining devicefor permitting intermittent movement of the said assembling device.

9. A crating apparatus including a stationary container collecting table, a crate- Way arranged beneath the table, and a device having means for engaging the adjacent sides of adjoining crates in said crateway to bring the same step-by-step beneath the delivery end of said table, and also having means for engaging and propelling containers on said table toward the delivery side thereof.

10. A crating apparatus including a stationary container collecting table, a container controlled device having separate means for bringing shipping crates into position to receive from said table, and also having means for displacing containers from said table into the shipping crate.

11. A crating apparatus including a stationar 1 container collecting table, a bottle controlled restraining device, and a combined container and crate assembling device released for movement by the operation of said bottle controlled restraining device.

12. A crating apparatus including a stationary container collecting table, a bottle controlled restraining device/including an electrical circuit closer located at one end of said stationarycollecting table, and a combined container and crate assembling device released for movement by the operation of said container controlled restraining device.

13. A crating apparatus including a stationary container table, a combined container and crate assembling device, and a container controlled restraining device for intermittently releasing the said assembling device for movement, said restraining device including a container controlled circuit closer located at one end of said collecting table, and an electro-magnetically controlled detent having an operative engagement with said assembling device.

14. crating apparatus including a container collecting table, an endless container and crate assembling device, a check wheel associated therewith, an electro-magnetic restraining device including a circuit closer and a spring pressed detent operated against the tension ofits spring by the closing of an electric circuit to the electro-magnet of said restraining device, and a container controlled circuit closer located at one end of said collecting table and adapted to close an electric circuit to the electro-magnetic restraining device to release the detent thereof from engagement with the check wheel.

15.,A crating apparatus including a container collecting table, a container spacing frame positioned above said table, a crate- Way arranged beneath said table, and a combined container and crate assembling device having means for engaging crates in said crateway and other means for engaging and propelling containers from said table into said container spacing frame.

16. A crating apparatus including a container collecting table, a container spacing frame positioned above said table and having a plurality of guide arms forming container spacing guideways which terminate beyond the edge of the table, and a combined container and crate assembling device having means for bringing crates into position to receive containers from the closed end of the guideways in said spacing frame, and having other means for propelling containers from said table into the guideways Y of the spacing frame.

17. A crating apparatus including a container collecting table, a container feeding guideway at one side of said table, a container spacing frame positioned above said table and having a plurality of guide arms extending over said table and terminating in a plane coincident with the nearest side wall of said feeding guideway, said spacing arms providing a plurality of distributing guideways at substantially right-angles to the main guideway and closed at one end, the closed end of said guideways being located beyond the delivery edge of the collecting table, an assembling device, means carried by said assembling device for posi' tioning crates in receiving position beneath the closed end of said minor guideways, and other means carried by said assembling device for advancing containers from the plane in which they are fed onto the table, toward the delivery side of said table and into the guideways of the spacing frame.

18. A crating apparatus including a container collecting table having a main con tainer feeding guideway at one side thereof, a container spacing frame having a plurality of container guides disposed at sub stantially right-angles to the main container guide and closed at one end, a combined container and crate assembling device havin means for bringing crates into' position to receive containers from the closed ends of said guideways in the spacing frame, and also having container propelling means, a restraining device for restraining the movement of said assembly device, and a container controller trip element located at the end of the table opposite the main feed conveyer, and. adapted to actuate said restraining device to release the assembling device for movement. v

19. A crating apparatus including a con tainer collecting table consisting of a plurality of spaced container supporting bars, a container spacing frame positioned above the table and having a plurality of guide- Ways closed at one end, the closed ends thereof being located beyond the delivery ends of said container supporting bars, and an assembling device having means for bringing crates into position beneath the closed ends of said guideways in the spacing frame, and also having a plurality of rows of rake teeth for engaging between the spaced container supporting bars of the table to propel containers from their initial position on the table into the closed end of said guideways in the spacing frame.

20. A crating apparatus includin a container collecting table consisting of a plurality oflspaced supporting bars, a corn t-ainer spacing frame having closed guideways terminating at one side of the extremities of the said supporting bars, an assembling device, a plurality of guide units carried by said assembling device, and each containing a plurality of transverse container guide elements, rake teeth carried by said container guide elements for entering the spaces between the container supporting hars, said guide units bem so spaced from each other as to provide or engaging the adjacent side walls of adjoining crates to bring the same into position to receive containers pushedby the rake teeth from the table into said container guides,

21. A crating apparatus including a container collecting table consisting of a plurality of spaced container'supporting bars, a container spacing frame positioned above nesaeoe the table and having a plurality of container spacing guideways closed at one end, the closedend thereof being located beyond the delivery ends of said container supporting bars, an assembling device, a plurality of separate guide units carried by said assembling device and including a plurality of transversely disposed container guide elements each having a plurality of separate container guide sleeves, and said guide elc ments of each unit being arranged in closely abutting relation, but the separate units having a crate-wall receiving space therebetween, and a row of projecting rake teeth carried by each guide element of the said units for entering the spaces between the supporting bars.

22. A crating apparatus including a container collecting table consisting of a plurality of spaced supporting bars, main container feeding guideways at one end of said table, a container spacing frame positioned above the table and having a plurality of container spacing guides whose closed ends are located at one side'of the extremitiesof the said supporting bars While their open ends terminate in a plane coincident with one of theside walls of the main containerfeeding guideway, and a combined container and crate assembling device having crate and container engaging means, a restraining device for the assembling device, and a container controlled trip device located'at the end of said table opposite the main contamer-feeding guideway and in line therewith, said trip device adapted to release the restraining device to permit movement of the assembling device.

23. A crating apparatus including a container collecting table consisting of a plurality of spaced container supporting bars, a container spacing frame positioned above the table and having guideways Whose delivery ends are located at one side of the delivery ends of the supporting bars, a crateway beneath the said table, and an assent bling device for bringing the crates in said crateway into receiving position at the delivery side of' said table and also adapted to push the containers from the latter into said crates, said device including endless sprocket chains, s rocket wheels mounted on supporting sha s in the framework of the apparatus, and a plurality of spaced container guide units carried by said endless conveyer chains, each unit consisting of a plurality of transversely disposed container guide elements, each having a, pinrality of guide sleeves, and rake teeth for enteringthe aces between the supporting bars of the table carried by each guide ele ment of the transfer and ide units.

2%. A crating apparatus including in combination with a shipping crate, a cratevvay,'

, frame, a container plurality of spaced container supporting bars, a container spacing frame having means for guiding containers toward the delivery side of said table and also beyond the same, a container assembling device having thereon a plurality of spaced container guide units adapted to pass beneath the container collecting table and engage therebetween the adjacent side walls of juxtaposed crates in said crateway, said container guiding units each including a plurality of container guiding sleeves arranged intransverse rows and having means therein for checking the passage of a bottle therethrough, and transfer projections carried by said guide sleeves and adapted to move between the spaced supporting bars and projecting above the surface thereof to form bottlereceiving guideways, and also-constituting means for advancing the bottles toward the delivery ends of said supporting bars and transferring same into a crate in said crateway.

A crating apparatus including a by said frame, acrateway arrangefbeneath said table and including a plurality of crate supporting rollers journaled in said frame, an inclined crate feeding chute at one end of said crateway, and a combined container and crate assembling device having means for collecting table, carried engaging crates in said crateway and movmg COIltillIlCI'S from said table into crates positioned beneath the delivery side thereof,

and a bottle restraining device for checking the movement of said assembling device caused by the weight of container on the inclined crate feeding chute.

26. A crating apparatus including a container collecting support, an assembling device having means for directing a shipping crate to a receiving position and for transferring the containers thereto and means controlled by said containers for causing the intern'iittent moving of the assembling device. i

27. A crating apparatus including a container collecting table, an assembling device having means for simultaneously engaging the containers on said table and shipping crates arranged l'herebe'neath and bringing the same into assembled relation, and means controlled by the containers collected on the said table for causing the intermittent moving of the assembling device.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

LOUIS A. HAWTHORNE.

Witnesses:

WILLARD L. 'HoAcLANn, Enw. V. WURTS. 

